Lionsgate and Herrick Entertainment have acquired North American distrib rights to Lee Tamahori’s “The Devil’s Double.”
Pic received its world premiere at Sundance and will unspool in the Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama sidebar. Starring Dominic Cooper and Ludivine Sagnier, “The Devil’s Double” centers on a man forced to become a double for Saddam Hussein’s son, Uday.
Lionsgate and Herrick did not disclose a release date.
“The Devil’s Double,” based on Latif Yahia’s autobiographical novel, was adapted by Michael Thomas (“Ladyhawke”).
Producers are Corsan’s Paul Breuls and Catherine Vandeleene, with Corrino Media Group’s Michael John Fedun and Stacatto’s Emjay Rechsteiner. Harris Tulchin of Tulchin Entertainment and Arjen Terpstra exec produced.
The companies didn’t reveal the price of the acquisition. Variety reported during Sundance that Lionsgate was nearing a deal for domestic rights for an estimated $2 million to $3 million after buyers from Summit and Relativity Media saw the film during private midnight screenings.
The pic was sold during the fest to Icon Film Distribution for Australia and New Zealand for a six-figure sum.
Belgium-based Corsan is represented by Paradigm and Cooper is repped by CAA. Paradigm also arranged financing for the picture.
Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118031478?refcatid=1061